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The Senate has voted 69-27 to pass a bill authorizing states to collect sales tax on online transactions, even if the seller has no physical presence in the state. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, plans to refer the measure to the House Judiciary Committee. A spokeswoman for committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., says he has reservations about the measure's complexity and potential effect on small businesses.

A patent-reform measure is set to be reintroduced today by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., but it faces an uncertain future in the Senate. The bill, which would seek to curb patent trolls, also has the backing of the Obama administration.

The House of Representatives is moving forward with a bill that will require online retailers to collect sales tax from customers. A ruling by the Supreme Court in 1992 stated that taxes be collected only by those with a physical presence in a state -- now a tax loophole that has left many retailers feeling burdened by the presence of competing online retailers not affected by the ruling. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has released guidelines to shape the legislation on the matter. The Marketplace Fairness Act received bipartisan support when it passed the Senate in May.

The House is unlikely to take up any immigration measures until September because the seven lawmakers drafting a bill need time to educate the public and colleagues, sources say. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., says it could take up to a year for an immigration bill to pass. Members of the Senate's "Gang of Eight" told technology lobbyists to urge House action on immigration.

The Senate voted 69-27 to pass a bill authorizing states to collect sales tax on online transactions, including all digital downloads, even if the seller has no physical presence in the state. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to consider the measure.